Published on June 19th, 2002.
Author: Scot.Solida
Category: Virtual Instruments.

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LinPlug – Delta III Matrix Synthesizer!
Review brought to you by Scot Solida : Scot Solida.
and Darren McEntee.

Delta III Multitimbral Matrix Synthesizer by LinPlug Audio as reviewed by Scot Solida.

These days, there is certainly no shortage of virtual analog VST instruments to be had. One might wonder if there was anything new that developers could offer in this area, and the release of a new virtual analog synth causes more than a few folks to stifle back a yawn. I was beginning to count myself among them, when the LinPlug Delta III was introduced and shook me out of my ennui.

Delta III is, in the manufacturer’s words, “a modular, extendable design”. “Modular”, because its components can be patched in any number of ways, just like the big, wall-sized beasts of yore. “Extendable” because the designer has left some room for added modules to appear in future upgrades. Unlike the modular designs offered up in Native Instrument’s Reaktor, or Applied Acoustic System’s Tassman, there are no onscreen cables to fuss with here, and the front panel design remains pretty much consistent. There are a few exceptions, which we will cover in a moment.

Installation is painless, requiring a simple personal license code on the rear panel of the Delta III when it is first opened. No “key disc” to fuss with, and none of that “challenge/response” nonsense that plagues some software.

Once opened, you are met with an interface that is, as is usual for LinPlug, tasteful, and easy on the eyes. In fact, its simple, sensible layout is a bit deceptive, and on first glance, it’s not at all apparent how much power resides inside this pretty package. Many functions are accessed by little illuminated buttons that line the outer left and right sides, and it’s with these that you select the various oscillator, filter, envelope, effects, and LFO modules. And then there’s LinPlug’s powerful “Modulation Matrix”, which hides behind the LFO panel. Nice touches abound in the interface design, such as the ability to choose how the knobs respond to your mouse movements, and an intuitive MIDI Learn function. These things combine to make using the Delta III an easy, rewarding experience. Even the novice synthesist will find it easy to get some cool sounds without too many peeks into the excellent PDF manual. It will require some time and effort to get the most out of this complex synthesizer, though. Modulars have never been particularly easy to program, but LinPlug have made some great strides in presenting an interface that can inspire the user’s creativity.

What do you have to work with? Well, there are three oscillator modules, three filter modules, two different envelope modules and four effect modules to mix and match in a myriad of ways.

You are allowed up to four oscillators per voice, ranging from traditional analog oscillators (with continuously variable waveshapes) to digital modules not unlike those found on a number of synths that appeared in the late eighties. This is just one of the areas where Delta III steps outside of the usual virtual analog designs. Each of these digital oscillators gives the user a wide variety of useful waveforms from which to choose.

Another unique touch is the choice of filters, two of which may be active per voice. Many synths possess filters that allow you to select from highpass, lowpass, bandpass, and notch styles, and Delta III is no exception. However, LinPlug have gone one step further by giving you three entirely different filter modules to mix and match. There is the analog style that was seen on the Delta II. There is also the filter seen on LinPlug’s excellent CronoX. Finally, there is a new “classic” analog filter. This last one breaks new ground in quality. I have rarely heard an analog filter that sounds as good, even on some of the wood and metal behemoths in my studio. I have certainly never heard one of this high a caliber on a virtual analog synthesizer. It is simply gorgeous. It can be both subtle and ferocious, and everything in between. Other developers would do well to sit up and take notice, as the bar has just been raised a notch.

Each voice can have up to eight (!) envelope generators, and each can be one of two styles; either the traditional ADSFR , or a five-level, five-rate model, again recalling the digital synthesizers of the eighties and nineties. There is variable keyboard and velocity tracking for each envelope generator.

The signal may also be modulated with four individual LFO modules, all with tempo sync, and variable symmetry and phase. Each LFO can possess its own DAD (delay, attack and decay) envelope. A respectable number of LFO waveshapes are provided.

Next we come to the real star of the show, the Modulation Matrix. This has appeared on a number of LinPlug products, and is a welcome sight here, as well. This matrix allows you to modulate just a fraction but a well selected parameter of the Delta III with almost any imaginable source. You can setup all sorts of wild and imaginative routings, and this accounts in large part for the “Modular” in the product’s name. For instance, you might have LFO 1 modulating the rate of LFO 2, which, in turn affects the resonance of Filter 2, while the oscillator pitch is modulated by yet another LFO. This kind of functionality allows Delta III to achieve sounds which “fixed-signal path” synthesizers simply cannot create. It is very similar to the way the old Oberheim Matrix series worked, and anyone who’s familiar with those should feel like they’ve rediscovered an old friend.

Delta III also sports a pair of effects processors, and the usual suspects are present and accounted for, including tempo syncable delays and a luscious chorus.
Some of Delta’s other features include portomento and glide functions, monophonic and polyphonic aftertouch, eight-way multitimbral operation, sample-accurate timing and the ability to save full automation settings with your song. Powerful stuff, indeed, but it does not come at too high a price in CPU usage. While not exactly minimal, it is surprisingly modest for a plug-in with this kind of complexity.

LinPlug have provided 472 presets in a wide range of styles, and these do a fair job in showing off the capabilities of the Delta III, though the list is by no means exhaustive. There are the usual basses, leads, pads and effects, plus a few surprises. The programmers seem to have leaned more towards providing sounds that are usable, as opposed to any “gee-whiz” presets.

I suffered no instabilities from Delta III (and, in fact, haven’t had trouble with any LinPlug product), but if I had, the stellar support is well known.

Do you need this synth?…
If you want the power to create wholly new and unique sounds, or maybe you desire a modular, but are put off by their complexity, then Delta III is essential. If you don’t have a virtual analog, you’d be making a mistake to overlook it, and even if you are glutted with them, this one offers a sound quality almost unmatched, particularly at this price point ($99). In fact, this is the first softsynth that has made me stop regretting the sale of my Nord Lead. Give it a look!!

Enjoy,

Scot Solida & Darren McEntee.

Some Delta III links:

- LinPlug Virtual Instruments : linplug.com

- Direct Download of Delta III demo.

- Purchase Delta III @ LinPlug

Overall impression: 9.25/10
Ease of use: 8/10
Timing: 10/10
Stability: 10/10
Value: 9/10
Learning curve: Perhaps five hours or more for the experienced synthesist, but the novice will need to devote a lot more time. Even the old pro will find lots of room for exploration for a good long time.

Review brought to you by: Scot Solida. | Darren McEntee.

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